What If Imagination Was the First Step? A Conversation with Adelia Schleusz of What If LAB

Creative conversations often begin too late in the design process and are already constrained by budget and deliverables. But what if design started with something else entirely? Something profound and limitless, like imagination?

Adelia Schleusz built What If LAB around that very question. Her approach treats imagination not as indulgence, but as a transformative infrastructure. With a background in neuropsychology, architectural and interior design, sustainability, and storytelling, her practice defies labels. Her ideas are driven by systems thinking, and her spaces are designed as living systems. They ask something of you. They also give you something in return: calm, focus, awe, wellness.

Recently awarded the Kimball International Makers of a Better Future Fund by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), Adelia is gaining recognition for creating work that is both visionary and deeply grounded. We spoke about transdisciplinary design, the science of creativity, and why imagination is a professional obligation.

Q: Let’s begin with the name. Why “What If LAB”? 

Adelia: The name came from a burning question I’ve carried with me throughout my life and career journey. What if. What if design didn’t start with jumping too quickly to solve problems, but rather with imagining possibilities? What if creativity felt like wonder again, approaching big ideas without losing sight of strategy or impact?

“What if” keeps the process open. It gives permission to think differently, to think about the future courageously. And “LAB” reminds me that this work is constantly evolving, as should our processes. Reimagining the proverbial lab as an incubator of ideas, more nebulous in nature than a static place. Imagination is the cornerstone of innovation. It can happen anywhere, at any time, with anyone. It’s an experiment, not a product. That mindset is part of the magic and key to What If LAB’s approach.

Q: You often refer to neurodesign. What does that mean for your process? 

Adelia: I like to refer to neurodesign as a comprehensive approach to design. It’s an essential ingredient in our process. It’s at the intersection between cognitive psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and design. Neuroaesthetics, for example, is a subset that explores how the design of our environment and sensorial experiences affect the brain and body. Our surroundings affect our nervous system. They change how we think, feel, relate, and focus.

When designing spaces, neurodesign is an important approach for multi-sensory experiences. A space should heal, hold you, not just house you. It should help you breathe easier, think clearly, and evoke emotion. That’s not a luxury. That’s fundamental to life-centered design (Human-centered design, while historically valuable, is not enough). Life-centered design guides our perspective to problem solve holistically, a systems thinking approach to our process. We can then think of neurodesign in terms of the human approach in that system.

Q: You’ve worked with both individuals and large organizations. What unites your clients? 

Adelia: They are actively shaping the future they want to live in. In a sense, they are visionaries in the truest sense.

What connects them is depth. They’re not interested in solely trend-based or short-sighted solutions. They want to do work rooted in science, story, and care. They want to boost their potential for exploration, innovation, and transformation. They see value in unleashing their creativity in today’s dynamic business environment and rapidly evolving world. I often use an analogy from the culinary arts, when the appetite is there, we now need to find the right recipe for the ‘what if.’ That is where I come in.

Q: You describe your work as transdisciplinary. What does that actually look like in a project? 

Adelia: The best way to think about this term is in two ways. One approach is to integrate diverse knowledge systems into the process of consulting on a particular idea, project, or design problem. The second is integrating diverse knowledge streams by way of the collaborators on the team, with multifaceted knowledge streams working together on a complex real-world issue, project, or idea. As a creative consultant, I draw on my diverse background of creative foresight, interior design, psychology, sustainability, and storytelling as a single, integrated knowledge stream. The aim here is complex yet simple: we need diverse perspectives to achieve transformative outcomes.

One project might involve carbon-negative building materials, complex programming for an eco-lodging concept, and culturally rooted visual language. Integrating a tailored and systems thinking approach will be the driving force to tackle the ‘what if’. Breakthrough solutions do not happen in isolation. The real impact comes when these layers of knowledge streams are woven and blended together, not set as separate ingredients…more like focusing on mastering the art of intuitive cooking!

Q: You work in such a deep and integrative way. Do you ever encounter resistance or challenges? 

Adelia: There will always be resistance to doing things differently. There will always be challenges to change. Our world is often riddled with timelines, template solutions, and metrics-only logic. Intentionally doing things differently can simply lead to better things, intentionality being key. It’s not always easy to accept change, but we are much more adaptable than we think…look up and around, you are adapting as we speak.

It takes a bit of education and clarity. And as a solo founder, scaling without compromising is always a challenge. But when I find the right collaborators, clients, and thinkers, we create something so much more meaningful than any of us could alone.

Q: You’re also launching Imagine Workshops. What are those? 

Adelia: I have been excited to officially roll out these workshops as a new service! Imagination is a transformative force. These Imagine Workshops are somewhat of a masterclass in creative mindset. They’re workshops designed to reawaken imagination that, when used properly, can become a significant competitive advantage for creative individuals, teams, and businesses.

We might use creative foresight, scenario storytelling, and cutting-edge ideas to help people see their challenges differently. The formats range from two-hour sessions to full-day immersions. The goal is to boost exploration and shift the way people think, not just give them more to-do lists.

Most recently, we have clients and teams engaged with this service who are interested and invested in their adaptability, seeking fresh perspectives, and viewing this as crucial for success. They understand that imagination isn’t a luxury. It’s essential infrastructure for the future.

Q: With so many moving pieces: design, strategy, client work, and content, how do you keep your own creativity alive? 

Adelia: I find inspiration all around me, constantly. However, music would be my short answer. This is a beautiful metaphor for being human. The evolution of who we are is like our own unique melody. I also experience moments and memories in melodies, but we can table that for another time!

I listen more than I speak. I spend a lot of time in nature. I draw, write, read, and let my mind go quiet. I protect the space where ideas can breathe.

I also remind myself that imagination is not a nice-to-have. It’s a responsibility. If we want a different kind of future, we have to build it, and before we make it, we have to be willing to imagine something that doesn’t yet exist.

Q: What’s next for What If LAB? 

Adelia: As What if LAB continues to navigate its humble beginnings, leaning into deeper conversations with unique collaborators, clients, and potential partnerships will be key. As industries are ever-changing (some more rapidly than others), I look forward to working together to identify interesting intersections where innovation is the critical path in design. So, how does this work? First, listen intently, then listen, then listen some more. Then here come the provocative questions. This is a natural scenario for What if LAB. A lifelong learner profile is critical for our creative consultancy, as is this authentic relationship building.

In addition to relationship building, we will continue to engage across the ‘multiverse’ (anyone a Marvel fan?). Our conversations span across the globe. This involves continued sharing of why this is important through key interviews, speaking engagements, and incubators to engage in meaningful dialogue about the why behind the work, not just the outcome.

There’s a vastly growing appetite for design that does not separate ethics from aesthetics, or creativity from strategy. I want to contribute and be part of that conversation in a bigger way. Whether that is through articles, workshops, or public talks, my focus is on expanding visibility in a way that feels authentic, aligned, and intentional.

We’re also refining our visual language to better express what we do. This is important for communicating the energy, passion, and emotive quality of who we are. This includes developing the overall visual storytelling that matches the kind of future-forward, life-centered, sensory-rich work and strategy we’re creating. It’s a puzzle I’m excited to solve and, of course, then perhaps reimagine the puzzle.

Final Thoughts 

Adelia Schleusz does not create experiences that just impress. She imagines spaces that move you. In her world, design is more than just appearance. It is something you feel with your whole self, that evolves with the transforming environment we live in, and stays with you after you leave.

What If LAB reminds us that imagination is not a break from reality? It is the beginning of something better.

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